If there is an area of your building where sensitive devices and data are stored, you may need to consider installing physical access controls to protect your business’s critical information. The security offered by physical access controls could be a solution considered. In the following lines, we will look at what physical access control is, and why it is a good solution for your business when it comes to access control protocol and security.
What is Physical Access Control?
Physical access control is a security system that allows you to restrict and manage access to physical locations or resources. PACs encompass a range of components and technologies designed to grant or deny entry based on an individual’s credentials, time, and authorization level.
Components of Physical Access Control Systems
Access Points
Access points are the entry or exit locations controlled by the PACS. These may include doors, turnstiles, gates, or any other physical barriers that can be electronically managed.
Identifying Personal Credentials
Users of Physical Access Control must have a means of identifying themselves in order to be granted access to the Area he is entitled to. Different identification methods include ID badges, cards, mobile apps, PINs, passwords, QR codes, biometrics, and license plate recognition for vehicles.
Readers
Readers are the devices that receive and validate the credentials. They collect the data then communicate them to the control panel and grant or deny access based on the information provided. Polimek Electronics offers a wide range of readers(Link to readers) to gather each customer’s specific need
Control Panel
The control panel is the brain of a Physical Access Control System. They process the data sent by the readers and enforce access policies. When data of a credential is approved then access is granted. In the case the data are denied then the access will not be granted at the access point.
Different Types of Physical Access Control Authentication Methods
Authentication methods determine how individuals prove their identity to gain access.
Cards or Key Fobs
Users simply present their access cards or key fobs to the reader, which collects the card data to validate their credentials and grants or denies access accordingly. They are an easy and fast solution however it’s not always possible to check who the cardholder is. If an unauthorized person gets hold of an employee’s card, they’ll be able to access restricted areas.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones can be used as a form of physical access control security, using an app with NFC or QR code technology.
Phones make entry rights easily configurable for different users and different entry points.
Unfortunately, like cards and fobs, with mobile phones, you cannot know at 100% who access the restricted area.
Polimek’s PEMS, mobile app is a great solution for mobile access control solution
Biometrics
Biometric authentication is the pinnacle of security.
Facial ID, fingerprint scanning, iris scanning or palmprint recognition, and biometric technology provide a high level of security for businesses because they are unique to individual users.
The only downside of such technologies is the fact that they are expensive.
However, companies like Polimek Electronics propose high-quality and affordable devices like their PL03 https://www.polimek.com/product/pl303-face-recognition-device fingerprint and face recognition readers.
Conclusion
As businesses grapple with the challenges of data protection and access control, it becomes increasingly clear that implementing physical access control systems is essential for modern security needs. Different sorts of access control solutions and authentication methods like cards, mobile devices, or biometrics are available.
Companies such as Polimek Electronics are engaged to make these solutions accessible and affordable to all.
Contact us to learn more about our solutions .
